In the competitive market of the creative sector having strong leadership has never been so important; clients are reducing the amount of third parties they work with, leading to more agencies pitching for the same accounts. In an industry that relies heavily on relationships, creativity and innovation it is essential that those at the top encapsulate all this through their reputation, style and method, so that clients and prospects know exactly what they can expect. Those agencies that do not have a strong leadership team in place may find themselves struggling to compete in this crowded market. PR agencies have begun to recognise this, with a dramatic uptick in the appetite for Leadership Development knowing that this coaching delivers a return on investment through retention of clients, employees and attraction of new talent. However, businesses must be cautious not to create replicas of their existing leaders.
The first step is to recognise that not everyone is born a leader, however, this doesn’t mean everyone can’t be one. To support new leaders in their role, agencies must consider external training to help their people identify their style of leadership and what their unique skill set is. Recognising these two factors will help an employee develop their leadership brand, something that is vital for both internal and external communications.
Within the creative sector, people are typically promoted for the skills they have mastered in their day-to-day roles, such as being a good designer or copywriter. As such, senior employees often find themselves leading a team and needing to meet expectations with little previous experience of strategic management. By establishing a leadership brand, individuals will define what skillset they are known for and how they are viewed by colleagues. As this mission to establish oneself is underway, feedback should be welcomed from all levels within the agency, providing a clear indication of how they are performing as a leader.
The key to success is being authentic and true to oneself, portraying confidence in the values you hold dear and your ability to creating a vision for the people you work with. Having a strong leadership brand will promote the individual, showcasing the best attributes an agency has, its people.